2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante

The Superleggera treatment for the open-top Gallardo.

Most people who drive the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder invariably come away depressed, thinking the same thing: With 552 hp, a 0-to-60-mph time of about 3.5 seconds, and a claimed top speed of 201 mph, this thing is too damned slow. Lamborghini gets it. Although public attention is focused on the upcoming V-12–powered Murciélago replacement, Lamborghini's engineers have given the Gallardo Spyder the Superleggera treatment, dubbing the result the Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante. The car was shown by Lamborghini concurrently with the L.A. auto show.

It's Lighter and More Powerful, Naturally

At 562 hp, this car's 5.2-liter V-10 makes 10 more horsepower than the one in the regular Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. Full power is available at a screaming 8000 rpm; maximum torque is 398 lb-ft at 6500 rpm. The small power bump comes entirely from adjusting the engine management software. Would this change alone justify the "Performante" label? Certainly not, so Lamborghini shaved weight, pulling off a claimed 143 pounds—the Gallardo coupe's Superleggera conversion dropped 154—which would place this thing around 3700 pounds by our estimates.

Forty percent of the weight improvement is achieved by using carbon-fiber composite materials throughout the Spyder Performante, including for the engine cover, the optional rear spoiler, the diffuser, parts of the underbody panels, and the mirror caps. Inside, carbon fiber covers the center tunnel, the trim around the gear selector, and—most important—the seat shells, which shave off a big chunk of weight. Alcantara substitutes for the regular Gallardo's leather, saving more weight and adding even more eau de exotic to a car that hardly needs the help. Twenty-nine pounds comes out of the car by way of fitting the Gallardo Superleggera's 19-inch wheels.

Between the weight savings and the horsepower boost, Lamborghini boasts that the Spyder Performante can dispatch a 0-to-62-mph run in 3.9 seconds on its way to a 201-mph top speed. We figure the acceleration claim to be conservative, though, and would expect a time in the low threes for a 0-to-60-mph run. The Spyder Performante features a sportier suspension tune than on regular Gallardo Spyders, as well as special rubber. Lamborghini's e-gear transmission, an automated single-clutch system, is standard, but the excellent six-speed manual with its gated shifter is available as a no-cost option. Lamborghini truly is doing heaven's work.

Beautiful on the Outside, Too

The Spyder Performante’s exterior is distinguished by a new, more aggressive nose, a body-colored grille, special body stripes, and the plethora of visible carbon-fiber bits. The car is officially available in yellow, orange, gray, black, and white, but it's hard to imagine that Sant'Agata Bolognese wouldn't paint one up in whatever color a customer requests—so long as the request comes with an extra sack of money. We recommend the Murci's nuclear Pearl Metallic Flue Green.

Badging will indicate Performante, rather than the Gallardo coupe's Superleggera moniker, and according to Lamborghini that's very much an intentional distinction. "We basically wanted to make an open version of the Superleggera," says Lamborghini design chief Manfred Fitzgerald, but he agrees that the idea of a Superleggera—which translates to “super-lightweight”—doesn't fit with the Spyder's extra heft. And so Performante seemed like a better fit for this model. We love the Superleggera and its fabulous dynamics, but when it comes to 10-cylinder Lamborghinis, a roofless one is the best way to enjoy the engine’s raucous symphony. If it happens to be a few dozen pounds lighter? All the better.